It looks like Andrei Arlovski is taking advantage of the competitive freedom that comes from not being under contract with the UFC. According to ESPN.com, the former UFC heavyweight champ will make his professional boxing debut on September 13th in Las Vegas, in the opening fight on the Joel Casamayor vs. Juan Manuel Marquez card, which will be shown live on HBO PPV; an opponent hasn’t been announced yet.

Previously, we reported that Arlovski has been training with Freddie Roach at Wild Card Gym in L.A., and that Roach would be cornering Arlovski during his Affliction: Banned bout against Ben Rothwell on July 19th. We’re curious to see if their partnership is more than just a one-off, and if Arlovski tries to maintain careers in both MMA and boxing simultaneously. With world-class training from Roach, along with Arlovski’s natural abilities, the Pitbull could potentially become a two-sport star. Stay tuned…